XFL Vegas Vipers

Vegas Vipers Game Notes for Week 6 vs. St. Louis Battlehawks

Published on March 22, 2023 under XFL (XFL)
Vegas Vipers News Release


Series Notes:

- This will be the first of two meetings this season between St. Louis and Vegas; the two teams have never met in the XFL, as Las Vegas had a franchise in 2001 and St. Louis had a franchise in 2020; the final meeting between the two teams will be at St. Louis on April 8

- Head Coaches Rod Woodson and Anthony Becht squared off as players in the NFL three times from 2000 through 2003.

- Vegas defensive back Antonio Phillips hails from St. Louis, Missouri

- Vegas offensive lineman Michael Miller played suited up for five games for the St. Louis Battlehawks during the 2020 XFL season

LEAGUE OF OPPORTUNITY AND EXCITING GAMES

So far this season, the XFL has produced some very competitive football, as 14 of 20 XFL games through five weeks have been one-possession games (decided by 9 points or less). Despite the close scores and great endings, the league is still looking for its first overtime game. Vegas has had two, one-possession losses and one, one-possession victory, falling at the Arlington Renegades (22-20) in Week 1 and against the Seattle Sea Dragons (30-26) in Week 3 and defeating Orlando (35-32) in Week 5.

DISSECTING THE LINES

So far this year, the Vegas Vipers are 1-3-1 against the spread, covering against Arlington (ARL -3) in Week 1 despite losing 22-20. As a favorite, Vegas is 0-2 as they were 3.5 favorites over DC in Week 2, but lost 18-6 in the game and were also 7.0 favorites against Orlando and won 35-32 but didn't cover the spread. As a league, favorites are 10-8-2 this season. There have been five outright upsets against the betting line this season: SEA @ DC in Week 1 (+100 moneyline), STL @ SEA in Week 2 (+135 moneyline), DC @ VGS in Week 2 (+145 moneyline) HOU @ SEA in Week 5 (+130 moneyline) and ARL @ SA in Week 5 (+105 moneyline). In the five games Vegas has played this season, the over has hit four times. The only game in which the under was the winner, was in Week 2 against DC where weather played a factor in the game during the second half. In 20 games this season, the over is 10-9-1. This week against St. Louis, Vegas is a 3.5 point underdog and the over/ under line is set at 42.5 (lines according to Caesar's Sportsbook on Monday, March 20).

STARTING THE RIGHT WAY

The Vegas Vipers have scored on their first or second offensive possession in four of their five games this season. The only game where they didn't score on their either their first or second possession was against the DC Defenders in Week 4. Houston was the only team this season to score on each of it's first possessions through Week 4, but failed to do so against Seattle in Week 5. Orlando has also scored on it's opening possession four times this season. DC, San Antonio and Arlington have scored on their opening possession twice, while Seattle and St. Louis have each done so once.

TALE OF TWO HALVES

Beyond scoring on either the first or second possession of the team's respective first three games, Vegas has outscored its opposition 52-30 in the first half and didn't allow a first half touchdown until Week 3 against Seattle. The 52 first half points rank as the second most opening half points in the XFL this season, behind Houston's 80 first half points. The Vipers 13 point differential in the first half ranks third behind the Roughneck's 28 point differential (80 points for, 52 points allowed) and Seattle's 20 point differential (51 points for, 31 points allowed). Vegas, DC, Houston and Seattle are the only teams in the XFL which have a positive point differential in the first half, as the Defenders have a 12 point differential (50 points for, 38 points against). In the second half, it's been a different story for Vegas, as the Vipers have been outscored 95-53 in five second halves this season. The 95 points allowed in the second stanzas are the most points allowed by any XFL team in the later half this season.

WEATHER OR NOT AT CASHMAN FIELD!

In the first two games at Cashman Field in Las Vegas this season, the Vegas Vipers have had multiple opponents to face during each game, their opponent on the field and Mother Nature. In the home opener against the D.C. Defenders, rain played a factor in the second half as the skies opened up while each team went into their respective locker rooms at halftime. The rain assisted the Defender defense as the Vipers were shut out in the second half. During Vegas' second home game against Seattle, wind played a factor as gusts reached 50 miles per hour in the Las Vegas Valley.

SCORING SPREE

After scoring 26 total points in the first two games to open the season, the Vegas Vipers matched that total in a 30-26 loss against the Seattle Sea Dragons. The 56 combined points put up between the Vipers and Sea Dragons was the first game this season to break the 50-point mark. Later in Week 3, the St. Louis-DC game surpassed that total, when they scored a combined 62 points. In Week 5, Vegas scored 35 points against Orlando. It was the second most points scored by one team this season, only behind Houston's 44 points scored in Week 4 at Orlando. The Vipers and Guardians also combined to score the most points in the XFL this season with 67 in Week 5.

ALL GAMES NATIONALLY TELEVISED

On May 17, 2022, the XFL announced a multi-year broadcast agreement with The Walt Disney Company and ESPN. This season, all 43 games (40 regular season games, two playoffs, one championship) will be featured on a combination of ABC, ESPN networks, and FX. All XFL games will be streamed on ESPN+ and simulcasted in 142 countries around the world. This week's Vegas game will air on FX with the announcing team of Lowell Galindo (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst), Ian Fitzsimmons (sideline analyst) and Taylor McGregor (sideline reporter). The entire Week 6 schedule is listed below (betting lines as of Monday, March 13 via Caesar's Sportsbook):

Saturday, March 25 - Seattle Sea Dragons @ Orlando Guardians at 10 a.m. PT on ABC

Line: SEA -8.5 | O/U: 42.0

Saturday, March 25 - St. Louis Battlehawks @ Vegas Vipers at 4 p.m. PT on FX

Line: STL -3.5 | O/U: 42.5

Sunday, March 26 - San Antonio Brahmas @ Arlington Renegades at 12 p.m. PT on ABC

Line: ARL -3 | O/U: 33.0

Monday, March 27 - Houston Roughnecks @ DC Defenders at 4 p.m. PT on ESPN2

Line: DC -3.0 | O/U: 42.0

YOU BADET'CHA

Vegas Vipers wide receiver Jeff Badet has been one of the most reliable receivers for the team this season, as he has leads the team in three categories: 24 receptions, 341 yards and five touchdowns. His touchdowns lead the XFL this season, while his yardage ranks second in the league and receptions rank tied for fifth. The former Oklahoma and Kentucky standout's 14.2 yards per reception also ranks second in the league amongst receivers who have caught at least 20 passes. In Week 1 against Arlington, Badet caught two touchdowns, which were his first two touchdowns as a professional football player. Against Seattle, he had a 56-yard reception in the third quarter, which at the time was the longest reception in the XFL, but was later surpassed in the game when Josh Gordon caught a 65-yard touchdown reception and then the next day when DC's Chris Blair had a 58-yard reception. Against Orlando in Week 5, the Florida native caught five passes for 80 yards including two touchdowns.

ALL-SPRING LUIS

Vegas Vipers quarterback Luis Perez has been part of a few NFL training camps but most of his professional experience has come in numerous spring football leagues. The California native has compiled some pretty impressive statistics amongst the alternative leagues. He is the only quarterback to earn a victory in the XFL (2023), USFL, The Spring League, XFL (2020) and the AAF. Houston's Brandon Silvers has earned a victory in each of those leagues minus the USFL and DC's Jordan Ta'amu has earned a victory in all of the leagues except The Spring League and AAF. Perez also owns the distinction of throwing the first touchdown pass in the XFL this season, a five-yard connection with Jeff Badet at Arlington (Feb. 18), and throwing for the first touchdown in the USFL in 2022. Amongst quarterbacks in the XFL this season, Perez leads the league with 7.9 yards per attempt, ranks third in completion percentage with 65.3%, fourth with 802 passing yards, fourth in touchdowns with eight and has been sacked the second fewest times (all categories amongst QBs with 100 minimum attempts). He has appeared in four of the five games this season, starting and playing the entire Week 1 game at Arlington. He only threw five passes in Week 2 against DC and missed all of the Week 3 game against Seattle. Perez came in for relief at DC in Week 4 and earned his second start of the season in Week 5 against Orlando.

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